Tai Gongwang's Fishing
|details = A request from a fisherman. Apparently there is an old legend from the Ming concerning Jiang Taigong Wang and fishing. Jiang is fishing, but he uses a baitless straight hook and his "hook" stays above the water. Regardless of this, fish are attracted to it. Well you can see why a fisherman would want to investigate this. You might find out something in Hangzhou. |step1 = /Story from the Yin Dynasty/Hangzhou/Adventure Mediator/ Ha ha ha! That's only an old story. Long ago, there was a country called Zhou centered around the upper part of the Yellow River. Before the King of that land attacked the Imperial Court of that time, he went looking for talented people to join him. Lu Shang took service with him at that time. He was later called Jiang Taigong Wang. |step2 = /Jiang Ziya's Fishing/Hangzhou/Adventure Mediator/ Lu Shang was living a quiet life, but had dreamed of being employed by a good lord. He frequently went fishing in the river, but never put his hook in the water. In fact, his hook was straight and had no bait on it. He was asked by someone passing by, "Old man, catch many fish?" |step3 = /To catch a Lord/Hangzhou/Adventure Mediator/ Though he was being mocked, Lu Shang replied. He said "I'm not fishing for fish. I'm fishing for a good Lord. And that Lord will come to my hook when he's ready." In time, he was approached by King Wen of Zhou while the latter was out hunting. |step4 = /Jiang Ziya and the Empress meet/Hangzhou/Adventure Mediator/ Before leaving on his hunt, King Wen had been told through divination, "Today you will catch a human, not a dragon, not a tiger. A human that will support your path to supremacy." When he saw Lu Shang, Wen knew instantly that this was the person of the prophecy. And seeing Lu Shang fishing, he said "You seem to be enjoying fishing!" |step5 = /Fishing?/Hangzhou/Adventure Mediator/ Lu Shang answered, "A wise man is satisfied from having caught a fish. A commoner is satisfied with the fish. A wise man's success at fishing changes with the bait he uses. The bigger the bait, the large the catch. Smaller bait will only catch small fish. Also, if the wise man is not a good river himself, the catch will get away." |step6 = /Tagging's Hope/Hangzhou/Adventure Mediator/ King Wen believed himself to be the wise man, the bait to be the stipend, and the fish to be his retainer. Lu Shang went on. He claimed that the basis of the government was for the Lord to always be overflowing with charisma, and he must pay his retainers what their work was worth. Impressed, King Wen said "You are the one my father, Taigong, has waited so very long for! Please come serve and aid me." |step7 = /Tai Gongwang's Fishing/Hangzhou/Adventure Mediator/ Thus Lu Shang took service with King Wen. In time he became known as Taigong Wang, the Hope of the great Duke, and guided Zhou to greatness. However, Taigong Wang's Fishing has another meaning as well. It refers to something foolish, something that jumps into a trap that nothing should fall for. Because Lu Shang, uses a rod that can't catch anything, he is lower than even an apprentice fisherman. |step8 = /Tai Gongwang's Fishing Rod/Hangzhou/Adventure Mediator/ Either way, no fish will ever flock to a rod that can't catch fish. I heard rumors once that the rod Taigong Wang used was found on the outskirts of Yuntaishan. But I always wonder if it's a rod that can actually fish. |stepfinal = The Actual Fishing Rod/Yuntaisha West/Northwest of the map, near the Stacked Boulders/ The legend about fish coming to a rod that can't catch fish is apparently just an example. Still, the rod Lu Shang used can apparently be found at Yuntaishan. I am eager to see what it really looked like. I'll add that to my report. |discoXP = 1060 |cardXP = 530 |reportXP = 200 |reportfame = 90 |item1 = Tai Gongwang's Fishing Rod |item2 = Quest Mediation Permit |notes = |preQ1 = |subQ1 = |chainQ1 = |landarea = Yuntaisha West |seaarea = Western East Asia }}